The Lost Chapters of Avatar
by Yo-Rah
Summary: Some parts of Avatar are better off unknown.  Things that are too harsh for the happy go-lucky youngster to comprehend.  Not everyone lives in a world of their own.  Some were thrust into hard places with nowhere to run.  The Lost Chapters revealed.


_Ward off_

_Breathe_

_Grasp the Birds Tail_

_Breathe_

_Press and sit back_

_Breathe_

_Open up and Push_

_Breathe_

_Snake Creeps throu-_

"Haru! We've got... a live one!" Haru paused mid pattern, knees bent and lowered close to the ground. He cocked his head towards the young message runner as the boy gasped for breath, clutching a stitch at his side. "Fire Nation Soldier... stripped of armour... ready for ... questioning."

Haru nodded silently easing back into a more comfortable standing position. For all his youth Haru was a valuable member of the Resistance. Following his father's footsteps the young Earth bender fought for a brighter future against the terrifying tyranny of the Fire Nation. Charismatic and charming it was easy to see why so many followed the young man to battle. There were orphans and merchants, nobles and beggars, young and old that turned to the teenager for guidance. With broad shoulders he carried the burden of the people and stood his ground, weathering the storms of vengeance the Fire Nation threw at his followers.

"Take me to him."

The scruffy messenger nodded, greedily gulping from a canteen. Water spilled out of his mouth and onto his face and shirt, but he didn't mind. The ten year old grinned a toothy smile, face dripping and trotted through the camp site with Haru right on his heels. They weaved in and out of tents, dodged washing lines and toddlers, skirted past wandering dogs. Kids as young as five mimicked their elders, swinging sticks in time to military style drills. Chickens squawked and ran in their rugged coops. The old people told stories outside their tents to anyone that would listen and young couples dashed into hiding to embrace in wild passion.

Haru loved everything his people brought to his life.

Quite a distance away from the rebel campsite was a jagged cliff that dropped fifty feet to a sharp rocky fall. Four equally spaced pillars of earth and mud were erected a mere six feet away from the treacherous fall. There were four hard faced earth benders at each post, their expressions grim.

Held in midair by chains was the soldier in question. A man in his mid thirties with greying hair, he was close to retirement. No longer physically fit, he was the type the Fire Nation sent with their benders expecting that swords would not be necessary. He was shirtless and his boots removed. Several deep slashes cut his chest and there were many welts on his feet. He suffered a split lip and broken nose. Eyes rolling and sweating profusely the soldier was in a panicked state of mind.

Haru smacked his hands together and sharply threw them to the ground. The pillars responded accordingly, dropping back into the earth. The soldier fell on the hard packed floor with a thump, chains jiggling. The soldier moaned and tried to sit up, snarling at the rebels.

Haru stalked his prey, soft boots silent on the ground – the others forgotten. He placed a foot on an uninjured shoulder, pressing the soldier to lay flat on his back. Haru leant forward until his face was only inches away.

"Do you know who I am?" Haru asked softly.

The soldier sucked in air through his mouth, trembling from not only fear but exhaustion as well. Haru knew that the four benders had tortured well before he was summoned. The evidence was written all over the man. Haru hoped he would plead not guilty. It would be all the more satisfying when he was judged for his crimes.

The soldier never answered.

"I am a son of Earth Realm. A Bender by the will of the Spirit World. The Avatar has returned." Haru stood back from the soldier, a look of disgusted marring his features. "But you need to be softened up some before he can do any saving."

"Tell me soldier," his youthful voice pierced the air like a whip. "do you like the way things turned out?"

At this Haru was surprised. "My father has a journal that was passed down from my ancestor." The soldier croaked. "In it there is a story of puppy love. My ancestor tumbled with a maiden of Senlin Village. Her family were well known water benders of the time." He coughed hoarsely. "They had three children together. But she died in a tree felling incident. In time he returned to his home and married another woman, a friend he grew up with on Ember Island. I come the third child."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"My sister is a fire bender. Our father wasn't. He could bend water."

"Lies."

"It was a secret kept. How could we live in Fire Nation territory with our history? If anyone were to unearth our secret..."

Haru scanned the soldiers' battered face for any signs of dishonesty. His gaze was steady and he ignored the trail of blood that ran from his split lip. If his nose gave him any trouble Haru could not see it.

Haru stomped his foot on the ground and clenched his fists. A sharp pointed spear of earth pierced through the soldiers' torso. His eyes widened in surprise, his mouth a gaping hole. The copper tang of blood filled the air. Blood rolled lazily, tainting the clean earth beneath it.

"Haru? Do you think that was necessary?"

Haru didn't turn to see who asked. He didn't even want to.

"He was a liar. And he didn't have anything to say that we didn't already know. Get rid of him."

He stalked past the child messenger, who had frozen with fear heading back towards the training grounds.

"I'll be training if anyone needs me."

_Ward off_

_Breathe_

_Grasp the Birds Tail_

_Breathe_

_Press and sit back_

_Breathe_

_Open up and Push_

_Breathe_

_Snake Creeps through the Grass_

_Breathe_

_Shuttle back and forth..._


End file.
